This January, our eKidz will learn about how amazing Jesus is and how important it is to know God. Learning and remembering these truths will do more than help our eKidz step into 2023 with confidence and hope — they can do the same for us as well!

Happy New Year, eKidz volunteers! 🥳

Welcome to 2023! With a new year comes new experiences and opportunities — and maybe some anxieties as well. But this January, we want to kickstart the year by keeping our eyes fixed not on the worries of the world, but on our Savior and friend, Jesus. 

This month, eKidz will learn all about Jesus’ power and knowing God. Safari will focus on how amazing Jesus is, Quest will take that a step further by learning about some of Jesus’ amazing miracles, and Motion will talk about why it’s important to know God. We’ll be studying these same ideas and taking time to pray and reflect on them as well.

Our hope is that this devotional will prepare our hearts and minds for not only guiding our eKidz this January, but also growing in relationship with God. We’re so excited to see what this month — and year — has in store!

Advent. Four weeks to fix our focus on the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love. 

But why talk about Advent now after we just rang in the new year? Because each gift of Advent is not just something to reflect on, but also something to take into the new year with us. 

For me, I want to carry the gift of love into 2023. And not just carry it, but live in it! 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 from The Message says, “If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.”

I’m challenged to live out the gift of love better in 2023.

What are you carrying into 2023? Whether it’s a gift of advent or another gift God gave you, what would change if you carried into this new year some of the gifts God gave you in 2022? 

Take some time thank God for the gifts He’s given you, then spend time reflecting on these questions as you start your new year:

• What are some gifts God gave you in 2022?
• What’s one reason you think God might have you carry that gift(s) into 2023?
• How can you give this gift(s) to other people?

-Jessi Murphy, eKidz Ministry Pastor

The word from Pastor Steven for our church in 2023 is PROMISE, and we’re believing God is a faithful promise keeper. Our promise to YOU is to help you bring the energy by stepping into 2023 with a small gift from the eKidz team.

Grab a coffee, a hot chocolate, or your favorite Starbucks treat on us this week! This offer is first come, first served, so get it while it’s hot. 🔥 

Print or scan this barcode on your phone to pay at a Starbucks store. 

By the way, if you haven’t shared YOUR word with us for 2023 yet, make sure to email it to us so we can add it to our Word Wall and pray for you throughout the year. And make sure to visit https://myword.elevationchurch.org/ to generate downloadable word graphics!

Instructional Video Links

Each week prior to serving, spend 10-15 minutes and use the weekly eKidz instructional videos to prepare to serve kids and families with excellence. Videos for the upcoming Sunday are available each Wednesday at noon.